1. Technical Field
The present invention refers to a slide controller for an audio-mixer, in which a slide can be shifted along a limited path in a slot-like opening in a front plate.
2. Related Art
In modern, digitally operating audio mixers for audio signals it is common that one single slide controller may influence several functions or parameters. Thus, at least one selector key or one equivalent element is associated to such a slide controller, wherein the desired function or the desired parameter may be selected by this element. If this has taken place, the slide controller may be shifted manually or by a motor drive to the desired position, wherein the desired effect sets in. However, the problem frequently occurs that the operating person shall also know after a certain period of time which function or which parameter the selected slide currently influences. For this purpose it is known to integrate a display into a key by which the slide controller is operated for instance manually in a known manner. This may be implemented in that an illumination element is accommodated in the key and the key consists of translucent or transparent material. Thus, the key shall flash in different colors, depending on the function that it currently performs or influences. If the mixer is equipped with a screen, a display can also be made thereon, which indicates which function or which parameters the selected slide controller currently influences.
These known solutions reveal the disadvantage that the illumination of the keys of the slide controllers is constrictively complex and is expensive in production. This is caused by the fact that the supply for the illumination in the movable part of the slide controller must be ensured. Moreover, it has often proven during practical use that the illumination of the keys is often too weak or is not sufficiently noticeable, since the keys project from the front plate and can also be illuminated by other light sources. If the selected function is displayed on the screen, this screen is usually more or less remote from the respective slide controller so that the eye of the operating person must also move back and forth. One has to take into consideration that modern mixers also comprise dozens of slide controllers also in the case of multiple occupation and thus a confusion is very likely to occur.